What Will Happen To Your Friends When You Divorce?
When a person divorces, they lose a partner. If you are divorcing, what you may not be expecting is that in many cases, you may also lose your friends.
It’s true. Divorce can change the dynamics of friendships. Because of this, a divorce can be a lonely time for a lot of people. Friendships change for several reasons. In a lot of cases, your friends may not know how to proceed. They know it’s a scary and emotional time for you, so they’re not sure what you want them to do. It will be up to you to tell them what you need.
Sadly, your friends may not be there when you need them the most. Friendships tend to take a dive after a divorce for several main reasons. Let’s go into them in more detail.
They’re Scared
Fear is one of the biggest reasons why your friends may be becoming remote after your marriage ends. They see that your marriage failed and they may think that by hanging around you, their marriage will fail as well. This is especially true if your friends’ marriages are also rocky.
They’re Uncomfortable
Your friends may not necessarily be scared but they may be uncomfortable, especially if they don’t have a lot of experience dealing with divorces. They may not know the right things to say or do. They don’t know what to do, so they stay away.
You Become a Threat
This may seem silly, but once you divorce, you become single—and therefore a threat. You then become competition for your friends. They may see you as eligible, so they try to keep you away from their spouses. The thought of you stealing their spouse may have never crossed your mind, but you can be sure that it has crossed your friends’ minds.
Divorce is Polarizing
Divorce can be difficult for your friends because they feel as though they have to choose sides. If they were friends with both of you, they may try to stay away from both of you to avoid showing allegiance to one side or another. Rarely do people stay friends with both divorcing parties. If your friend does choose your ex’s side, then you can bet that you won’t hear from them again.
There’s a Social Stigma
Half of all marriages end in divorce, making divorce more acceptable nowadays. Despite this, there is still a stigma attached to divorce. That’s because being married has become more mainstream in our society. To some people, especially those in a specific culture or religion, divorce is seen as negative. Therefore, some people may not feel comfortable being around someone who is divorced.
Seek Legal Help
A divorce can be a scary situation to not only the divorcing couple but to their friends as well. Friends who have never been divorced may not know how to deal with the process.
A divorce can be lonely. Get the legal and emotional support you need from Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney Edward J. Jennings, P.A. Our office has more than 30 years of experience with divorce cases. To schedule a consultation, call 954-764-4330 or fill out the online form.
Resource:
huffpost.com/entry/why-friendships-take-a-di_b_2546249
